Hot Pregnancy Topics

Fertility treatment: Getting started

My partner and I have a fertility problem. What are our treatment options?

You have a number of choices, so you and your doctor should devise a treatment plan, starting with the least invasive options first. Your impulse may be to head straight for the most advanced and expensive treatments such as in vitro fertilization (IVF), thinking you'll get pregnant faster. But cheaper therapies, such as fertility drugs or surgery, are often very effective. In fact, about 90 percent of couples with fertility problems who have children were treated with drugs or surgery only.

How will we pay for treatment?

Fertility treatment isn't cheap - the average cost of assisted reproductive techniques is $12,400 for a single try. Since many health insurance policies don't cover fertility therapies, check your policy carefully before you do anything. Currently, 14 states - Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Montana, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Rhode Island, Texas, and West Virginia - require insurers to cover diagnosis and some treatments, but even within a state, policies can vary. For example, certain states cover fertility drugs but not assisted reproductive technology. Some financial institutions also offer loans specifically designed for fertility treatments. Check the American Society of Reproductive Medicine Web site for information about your state's laws. Get more info

What are my chances of getting pregnant with treatment?

About a third of all ART transfers result in a baby, and the rates go up to about 50 percent for couple who use donor eggs. Making certain lifestyle changes, such as quitting smoking, limiting alcohol and caffeine, and improving your diet with weight loss if you are overweight, can go a long way toward improving your odds of getting pregnant. (A dad-to-be's diet matters, too). But your success depends largely on the severity of your condition and... Get more info

My doctor mentions success rates for various treatments. What do they mean, exactly, and can I trust them?

Throughout your treatment, you'll be given statistics on everything from your chances of having twins to your likelihood of having an ectopic pregnancy. Most important are the pregnancy rate (the odds that the treatment will help you get pregnant) and the live birth rate (the odds that the treatment will enable you to give birth to a healthy baby). The live birth rate is always lower than... Get more info